Pumping unit



oct. 13, y1936.

A. R. MAIER 2,057,533

PUMPING UNIT Filed May 3, 1 935 l @D llV// INVENTOR.

Aam/5714 .MAE/6.

ATTORNEY5 35 ing bar were then patented @ich )13, 1935 assises Pomme mfr August R. Maier, Dallas, Tex.,

-Well Supply Company,

ration of New Jersey assignor to Oil Bellas, Tex., a corpo- Appiicsuon May 3, 1935, sensi No. 19,714

Zolaims.

My present invention relates to improgements in pumping umts for pumping wells such as petroleum wells and particularly to improvements on a twin crank pumping unit described andv claimed in my Patent In Said Patent 1,972,660, a pumping unit is described in which one arm of a walking beam is connected at one end to sucker rods that extend into the well to a pump located in the bottom of the 'well and the other arm'is connected to a power device by means of a paix-pf pitmans or connecting rods one. on each side of the walking 1,972,660, of September 4,

beam. 'Ihe pitmans are connected to the walking beam by means of an equalizing bar that may rock in a vertical plane transverse to the axis of the walhng beam. The pitmans are mounted on the equalizing bar by spherical surface bearings that permit the equalizing bar to tilt rela- '20 tive tothe pitman throughout a limited range.

'I'he pitmans are ,similarly connected by spherically shaped bearings to a crank on the power supply .unit. This pbvides compensation for any warping of the pumping` unit that may take place in the eld where such subjected to severe usage.

The stresses impod on pumpingunits of the above type is very great inasmuch as in pumping deep wells a weight oi several thousandl poundsmay be suspended on the sucker rod arm oi the walking beam. Consequently, if one oi' the pitmans should break,this great weight on the sucker rod arm would tend to depress the latter to its lowest point and, if the transverse equalizpermitted to rock freely, it would tilt throughout a relatively large angle,

' which would tend to break the bearing of the unbroken pitman and might strike the walking beam with ,great momentum at some part of 40 its rotation. The smashing eiiect on the pumping unit by the impact of the power and-momentum of the pumping unit mightin such cases wreck the entire unit.

The danger of a possible wreckage of the pumping unit by a breakage of I or lessened by my present invention, which provides a means whereb upon the breakage of one pitman. the weight on the sucker rod arm is suspended con the opposite pitman which continues to rock the walking beam in the normal manner. l

The various features ,of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in which- Fig. 1 is-a vertical section through a walmng Pumping units may Inev l drawing, these stops one pitman is obviated beam and equalizing bar embodying a preferred form oi' the invention; Fig. 2 is a pian view of the equalizing bar and/,mounting therefor; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. 5

In the construction shown in the accompanying drawing, the arrangement of the pitmans, walking beam and equalizing bar is similarto the arrangement described generally in Patent 1,972,660. In this construction, a mounting or 10 seat I9 is provided on the upper ange of the walking beam II and carries a pintle or supporting shaft I2 extending longitudinally of the walkingbeam. An equalizing bar I 3 is mounted on the shaft I2 and extends on opposite sides 15 of the beam II. Each end oi the equalizing bar I3 is provided with a bearing shell It, on which is mounted a strap or housing I5 of the respective pitman I6, so that thel equalizing bar I3 may rock in a vertical plane throughout a lim- 20 ited angle without tending to twist or distort the housings I5. Suitable lubricating means are provided, as described in Patent 1,972,660.

In the event that either of the pitmans I6 should break, the equalizing bar I3 would tend to be 25V pulled downwardly by the opposite pitman relatively to the walking beam II. Or, otherwise stated, the weight on the sucker rod arm of the vwalking beam would tend to lift the seat I0 relative -to the unbroken pitman and thus tend to rock 30 the equalizing bar to such an extent as to' twist or distort the housing I5, and possibly break it. This would cause the pitmans to rotate like iiails and cause additional damage.

In my present invention, I provide stops on the walking beam which will limit the rocking of the equalizing bar to a limit slightly beyond that provided for in normal usage. so that umn a breakage of either pitman the equalizlng bar will rest on a stop and be operated by the re 40 maining pitman. In the particular embodiment 0f the invention shown in the accompanying are provided by upturned edges Il at the sides of the 'seat I Il, against which the undersurface of equalizing bar I8 will 45 rest when the opposite end of the equalizing bar is released by the breakage of a pitman. With the above arrangement, when either pitman breaks, the weight on the sucker rod arm of the walklngc beam will lift the power arm and the seat I0 upwardly until the stop I1 comes into contact with the undersuri'ace of theequalizing bar. I'he weight on the sucker rod arm will maintainthe stop Ilin contact with the undersurface of the equalizing bar and thereafter the walking Y beam will be operated by the unbroken pitman until stopped by the operator for repairs.

For example, in a pumping unit in which the maximum rocking provided for the equalizing bar is tive degrees, the stop l1 will be so positioned that a tilting ot the equalizing bar slight- 1y beyond iive degrees will cause the bar to rest on a stop i1.

Through the above invention, it will be apparent that the dangers of wreckage caused by a breaking of a pitman will be greatly diminished, if not entirely removed.

What I claim is:-

v1. A pumping unit which comprises a walking beam, an equalizing bar mounted to rock on said walking beam in a vertical plane transverse to l the length of said beam. a pair ofpitmans, one

for each end of said equalizing bar and a stop to limit the rocking oi' said equalizing bar upon breakage of either of said pitmans.

2. A pumping unit which comprises a walking beam, a transverse equalizing bar mounted on said walking beamto -rock in avertical plane transverse to the length of said walking beam. spherical surfaced bearing shells on the ends of said equalizing bar, pitmans, one for each end of said Iequalizing bar mounted on said shells and a pair of stops one at each side of said walking beam to contact with the lower surface oi.' said equalizing bar when the latter tilts beyond a predetermined angle.

AUGUST R. MAIER. 

